


These Dog Days

by Cup_aTea



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: But Not In The Usual Way, Canon-Typical Violence, First Meetings, Lucky gets a home, M/M, Mandatory Fun Day, Natasha Knows Things, Vet Sam, Veterinary Clinic, injured animals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:48:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22636222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cup_aTea/pseuds/Cup_aTea
Summary: Clint shuffled back out to the waiting room and slumped into one of the hard plastic chairs.  It was fully dark outside now and the only other person in the room was sitting across him with a murder glare.  There was a tiny white kitten nestled in the neck of his hoodie fast asleep.  Clint thought he looked pretty judgey for someone with a kitten.Then again…Clint looked down at his shirt and jacket and the blood that had sunk into the fabric.  Oh.“It’s not my blood,” he said, too loud in the empty waiting room.If anything, the stranger’s glower deepened.---A story of how Clint rescued a dog, adopted a dog, and maybe found a boyfriend.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Clint Barton
Comments: 9
Kudos: 267
Collections: Mandatory Fun Day





	These Dog Days

**Author's Note:**

> Lucky starts out this story injured similar to the Fraction Hawkeye comics. It's not graphic, and we know he's going to a good home, but please skip it if that's not a good story for you right now. <3
> 
> For the MFD prompt: [Sam Wilson Appreciation Society](https://mandatoryfunday.tumblr.com/post/190687323629/week-5-sam-wilson-appreciation-society#notes)

Clint shuffled back out to the waiting room and slumped into one of the hard plastic chairs. It was fully dark outside now and the only other person in the room was sitting across him with a murder glare. There was a tiny white kitten nestled in the neck of his hoodie fast asleep. Clint thought he looked pretty judgey for someone with a kitten.

Then again…

Clint looked down at his shirt and jacket and the blood that had sunk into the fabric. Oh.

“It’s not my blood,” he said, too loud in the empty waiting room.

If anything, the stranger’s glower deepened. 

“Some of it’s the dog’s. Not that I hurt him! There were these tracksuit thugs—Russian, I think?—in an alley, and they were just waiting around, but they were being real mean to the dog. They had him tied up on a line that was too short and kept kicking at him and taunting him and he couldn’t get away. So I kinda let him loose. And beat the guys up a little bit. And they beat me up a little. So I guess some of it’s mine.” Clint managed to stop himself talking and gently prodded at his nose. Yep. Definitely broken. Again.

“And the dog?” the guy said, and wow, his voice was nicer than Clint had expected.

“They tried to throw him into traffic. I managed to pick him up before anything hit him.” 

“So the tracksuit guys?” The guy was looking straight at him now. 

Clint rubbed the back of his neck. “Still out there.”

He’d heard them yelling after him as he’d carried the dog down the street, but he didn’t regret it. There’d be plenty of time to track them down and deal with them. But the dog had been half unconcious and whimpering in his arms. So he’d found the nearest vet and run inside.

“What color were the tracksuits?” the guy asked.

“Uh, maroon,” Clint said.

The guy just nodded. He pulled a phone out of the pocket of his hoodie and started typing.

A minute later the vet came out of the backroom. He’d introduced himself as Sam Wilson and had totally taken it in stride when a blood covered dripping Clint had burst into his office carrying a broken dog. He’d been so calm that Clint started to feel like maybe things were going to work out. 

“Mr. Barton, Clint?” Sam said. There was a calm kind expression on his face that made Clint’s stomach clench.

“Yes?” he said, standing up.

“The dog has a broken leg and internal bruising, but it doesn’t look like there’s any internal bleeding or ruptures. There’s also evidence of several old injuries that have been healed without proper care.”

“What does that all mean?”

“We’re going to set and cast the leg. He’s going to need to be on bedrest for several days to give his body a chance to start healing, and he’ll need help after that.”

Clint nodded.

Sam settled a serious look on him. “To be blunt, he’s going to need a lot of care. You said he’s not your dog. Are you equipped to take him on? He’s not going to be able to walk or do stairs for a while, so bathroom breaks are going to be a challenge. He also can’t be left alone for hours at a time, so if you’re at work all day, it’s going to be a problem.”

“That’s all right,” Clint said. “I work kind of odd hours and I’m in between jobs right now.”

“And your living space?” 

“It’s a fifth floor walk up,” Clint said. “But I can carry him.”

“You sure? We can look into options for adoption.” Sam asked, looking him in the eye. 

“Yeah. I’m sure. Who’s going to adopt a one-eyed mutt with a broken leg? He gonna need someone to look after him. I don’t want him ending up back with someone like those tracksuit draculas.”

Sam nodded. “All right. We’ll put the paperwork in your name. You should start thinking about what you’re going to call him.”

He turned to the other guy in the waiting room. 

“Bucky, it’s going to be a bit before we can do Alpine’s check-up. Do you want to reschedule?”

“Nah, I’ll wait,” the guy—Bucky—said. The kitten had barely stirred from its spot, and Bucky looked comfortable enough leaned back in the plastic chair.

“Do you want to see your dog again before we give him a sedative?” Sam asked Clint.

“Yeah.”

Clint followed Sam back to the examine room where the dog was lying quietly on a table. Now that he’d been cleaned up a little, he looked even worse than before. Parts of his fur were matted or missing, and one of his ears was a little ragged. He looked subdued and nervous, but when he caught sight of Clint his tail started thumping against the table. 

“Hey there, who’s a good boy?” Clint said, going over and rubbing the dog’s ears. 

The dog looked up at him with his one eye and his tongue lolled out to lick at Clint’s hand. 

“You be a good boy and take a nap, and Dr. Sam here’s going to get you all fixed up,” Clint said, still stroking the dog’s ears because he was afraid to touch anything else.

Sam cleared his throat, and Clint looked up. He had to blink a little bit, but he deftly ignored the tears pricking at the corners of his eyes.

“If you want, you can stay while we give him the sedative,” Sam said.

Clint could see over his shoulder a nurse preparing a needle.

“He won’t associate me with bad things, will he?” Clint said as he watched. He knew what his own reaction to hospitals was like. He didn’t want to give his new dog a complex too.

“No. In fact, you’ll probably help distract him and keep him calm. But you don’t have to.” 

“No, I’ll stay,” Clint said.

Sam directed him where to stand, and he waited there, petting the dog’s ears and snout and talking to him quietly until the drugs took hold. Then the nurse directed him back to the waiting room.

Clint was jolted from his stupor when he got there by seeing not only the guy with the kitten there, but also Natasha. She was standing there in her leather jacket and fingerless gloves making chitchat with Bucky like they’d known each other for years.

“Tasha?” he said, trying to figure out how she had gotten there. Had he texted her and completely forgotten about it?

Natasha shook her head when she saw him. “I should have known.”

“This is my friend Natalia,” Bucky said. “She’s knows a little bit about the Russian mob around here, so I thought she’d have some insights. Those tracksuits aren’t just going to leave you alone, you know.”

“I know,” Clint sighed. “And I know Natasha too.”

“You should have called, little bird,” Nat admonished. “You’re not going to around taking down Russians by yourself. And there’s no way you’re catching a cab in that state.”

“I hadn’t really gotten that far,” Clint said, looking down at his bloody shirt once again.

“How’s the dog?” Bucky asked.

Clint perked up a little. “He’s going to be okay, the doc thinks. He doesn’t look great, but he was happy to see me. Sam thinks he’ll be okay coming home with me in a few days.”

“That’s great news,” Bucky said. “Sam’s a great vet. He’ll make sure your dog gets what he needs. Have you figured out what you’re going to name him?”

“I think…I think I’m going to call him Lucky,” Clint said.

“How’s a dog like that Lucky?” Natasha asked.

“He’s a fighter. He’s been through a lot, but he’s still wagging his tail. When I was fighting the tracksuits, he bit one of them that was about to punch me, even though they’d been hitting and kicking him. He’s just a good boy who wants a good home,” Clint said.

Nat was giving him a fond look that spoke volumes, and kitten guy was smiling softly. 

“Speaking of good things,” Natasha said, not looking at either of them. “Remember how I said I had a guy that I wanted to set you up with.

“Yeah,” said Clint at the same time that Bucky said, “Yes?”

They both looked at each other.

“You’ve met him. Congratulations. Clint, this is James or Bucky as he goes by. James, this is Clint. You’re both disasters, but you’re diasters for a good cause,” Natasha said.

Bucky gave a little smirk. “Nice to meet you, Clint. You’re taller than I expected.”

“Yeah, well, you’re softer than I expected,” said Clint before he realized what was going to come out of his mouth. He gestured at Bucky awkwardly when the guy raised his eyebrow. “You know, with the hoodie and everything.”

“Yeah, I’m saving the leather jacket until Alpine’s fully litter trained,” Bucky said, still smirking.

“That’s, that’s a good idea,” Clint said weakly as he first pictured Bucky in a leather jacket. And then leather pants. And then more leather.

“Okay, boys, save the flirting. I’ll make sure you get each other’s phone numbers, but I think it’s time to get Clint cleaned up. Did you get the visiting hours?” Natasha asked Clint.

“Yeah,” he said, feeling the folded piece of paper in his pocket.

“All right then. Let’s get you home then.” 

Natasha pulled out her car keys and headed for the door. Clint gave Bucky a little wave which he returned with a smile that made Clint’s cheek flush. Natasha rolled her eyes at him when he finally got out to her car and muttered something in Russian.

“Get in, little bird. You’ll haven’t plenty of time to make eyes at him later after you’ve slept.”

Sleep sounded good, Clint thought. So did a shower.

He got into Nat’s car, careful not to get any dried blood on her leather seats, and leaned his head against the window.

“Hey Nat,” he said as she put the car into gear.

“Hmm?”

“Were you really planning on setting us up?”

“Yes, if I could convince you to go to a restaurant without suspecting it was a blind date,” Natasha said.

“Do you really think he’s into me?” Clint asked.

Natasha snorted. “Yes, I really think he’s into you.”

“Cool, cool,” Clint said. His eye were feeling heavy as he watched the city lights go by. 

His ribs were starting to protest the beating he’d taken earlier, and his nose was throbbing in time with his heartbeat. But even with all that, he’d come out of the day with a dog that was happy to see him and a cute guy that seemed to like him. So maybe things were looking up.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry Sam didn't play a more central role in this. But I imagine in years after, he tells the story of how he first got Bucky and Clint together with his clinic. And Natasha lets him get away with because she likes Sam.


End file.
